Beech BE-58 accident near Crescent City, California, February 20, 1984
On February 20, 1984 at about 3:30 am local time, a Beech BE-58, registered N4636S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Crescent City, California (Crescent City airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 20, 1984 · about 3:30 am local time
- Place
- Crescent City, California · Crescent City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech BE-58
- Registration
- N4636S · no longer on the register · serial TH686
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT LANDED 1000 FT DOWN THE WET RWY AND CONTINUED OFF TEND OF THE RWY BEFORE HITTING A 18 INCH DIRT BANK. THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE BRAKING ACTION WAS 'POOR'.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,347 hours in all; 416 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 1,236 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,113 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 20, 1983; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,100 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BFL Bakdersfield CA
- Destination: CEC Crescent City CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 5,002 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.